cancer - quiz #3

Question 1

most basic level of cancer

Answer 1

abnormal cells that uncontrollably divide & never die
-accumulate together into clumps called “tumors” or flow freely through bone marrow, lymphatic fluid, body tissues & blood

Question 2

how does cancer spread

Answer 2

throughout body via bloodstream, invading other tissues
-can be compared with a parasite that drains energy from body & competes for its nutrients

Question 3

NEOPLASIA

Answer 3

“new growth” NOT controlled by normal regulatory mechanisms – cells do not contribute to organism, but draw on its resources
-masses form together into clumps called “neoplasms” or “tumors”
-may be malignant/ benign

Question 4

Study of malignant cancer

Answer 4

ONCOLOGY

Question 5

6 UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS of cancer cells that are different than any other cell in body

Answer 5

1. Anaplasia
2. Anchorage independent
3. Lack of contact inhibition
4. Immortality
5. Angiogenesis
6. Genetic instability

Question 6

ANAPLASIA

Answer 6

-cells undifferentiated → have not developed into particular cells yet
-NO function (other than reproducing)
-variety of shapes & sizes
-unusually large nuclei & bear little/ no resemblance to normal cells in surrounding tissues

Question 7

ANCHORAGE INDEPENDENT

Answer 7

-cancer cells detach from bottom of culture flask, floating away in soft agar & form new colonies (unlike normal cells that are anchored)
-encourage cancer cells to invade nearby tissue & expand outwards to go elsewhere in body

Question 8

LACK OF CONTACT INHIBITION

Answer 8

-when normal cells contact each other/ contact basement membrane, attempt to move apart to avoid damage/ collision
= “contact inhibition
-cancer cells do not possess this normal cell trait

Question 9

IMMORTALITY

Answer 9

-reverse shortening of telomeres & lengthen telomeres every time they divide, making them immortal
-may continue to divide for years with right conditions

Question 10

ANGIOGENESIS

Answer 10

-tumors need blood supply if they grow larger than few millimeters
-cancer cells have ability to secrete chemical stimulators that stimulate angiogenesis in nearby tissues
-develop vascular network to bring oxygen & nutrients for continued growth & expansion of cancerous cells & tumor

Question 11

GENETIC INSTABILITY

Answer 11

-divide continuously & have tendency toward genetic alteration during cell division
-causes genetic damage
-cancer often caused by damage to genes that help control cancer in body like tumor suppressors

Question 12

BIOCHEMISTRY (biology of tumor cell)

Answer 12

cancerous cell requires less oxygen – has no other function besides reproducing, accumulating & spreading – may acquire new functions (anaplasia) – very simple metabolism

Question 13

GROWTH PROPERTIES (biology of tumor cell)

Answer 13

survives easily, requires less nutrients – all energy goes to growth & reproduction – some cancer cells are immortal, lack contact inhibition, have anchorage dependant growth, do not require external growth factors – some tumors produce their own = “autonomous”

Question 14

cancerous cell growth has 3 distinct features that differentiate it from normal cell growth

Answer 14

AUTONOMOUS
EXCESSIVE
DISORGANIZED

Question 15

AUTONOMOUS (cancer - cell growth)

Answer 15

dependant of normal growth factors & inhibitors

Question 16

EXCESSIVE (cancer - cell growth)

Answer 16

does not respond to normal growth & division regulators

Question 17

DISORGANIZED (cancer - cell growth)

Answer 17

tissues formed are irregular

Question 18

clinical classification of tumors (determine malignant/ benign)

Answer 18

looks at clinical presentation & outcomes of cancer

Question 19

histologic classification of tumors (determine malignant/ benign)

Answer 19

looks under microscope at cancerous tissues/ cells, determines what type of cells the cancer is made up of
non cancerous tumors & may arise from any tissue type

Question 20

BENIGN

Answer 20

cancer defined by limited growth potential with good prognosis/ outcome – curable

Question 21

MALIGNANT

Answer 21

cancer is defined by uncontrollable growth – will eventually kill host
-causing metastatic cancer

Question 22

METASTASIS

Answer 22

process where tumor cells move from one site in body to another – only malignant cells can spread
3 main pathways for spread:
-Lymphatic system
-Bloodstream (hematogenous spread)
-Seeding of surfaces of body cavities (close by)

Question 23

METASTATIC CASCADE

Answer 23

-as tumor grows, some cells develop ability to metastasize, some do not
-enter lymphatic system, bloodstream, close-by cavities – fluid carry tumor cells away to different site, they attach & form tumor
-cancerous cells must escape immune systems attack with T-lymphocytes, natural killer & macrophages
-must form new blood supply to bring oxygen & nutrients for new tumors to grow = angiogenesis

Question 24

CLASSIFICATION OF TUMORS

Answer 24

Mesenchymal tumors
Epithelial tumors
Blood cell & lymphocyte tumors
Tumors of glial cells
Germ cell tumors

Question 25

FIBROMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 25

from fibroblasts

Question 26

CHONDROMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 26

from cartilage

Question 27

LIPOMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 27

from adipose tissue

Question 28

LEIOMYOMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 28

from smooth muscle cells

Question 29

RHABDOMYOMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 29

from striated muscle cells

Question 30

OSTEOMA (benign tumors from mesenchymal cells)

Answer 30

from bone

Question 31

benign tumors from epithelial cells - ADENOMA

Answer 31

-Tubular / villous – GI tract (polyps)
-Papillomas – skin, urinary bladder, mouth, larynx
-Cystadenomas – forms cysts

Question 32

malignant tumors of mesenchymal cell

Answer 32

(named from root of cell type + “sarcoma”)
-Fibrosarcoma – malignant tumor from fibroblasts
-Chondrosarcoma – malignant tumor from cartilage
-Liposarcoma – malignant tumor from fat

Question 33

malignant tumor of epithelial cells

Answer 33

(called carcinomas)
Squamous cell carcinoma

Question 34

malignant tumor of glands & ducts

Answer 34

(called adenocarcinomas)
Malignant tumors of embryonic cells called blastomas

Question 35

2 methods of staging/ grading tumors

Answer 35

1. TNM tumor staging
2. Grading a tumor

Question 36

TNM – TUMOR STAGING

Answer 36

clinically assessing extent to tumor spread – X-rays, biopsy, surgery
-size of primary tumor (T)
-presence/ absence of lymph node involvement (N)
-distant metastasis (M)

Question 37

TUMOR GRADING

Answer 37

based on histologic examination of tumor cells
-Grade I: well differentiated cells (benign)
-Grade II: moderately well differentiated cells
-Grade III: undifferentiated cells (malignant)

Question 38

EXOGENOUS (cause of cancer, carcinogen)

Answer 38

from outside world, chemical, physical agents, viruses

Question 39

ENDOGENOUS (cause of cancer, carcinogen)

Answer 39

from within us, in genome of each other (oncogenes)

Question 40

systemic symptoms

Answer 40

-Cachexia (generalized wasting & weakness)
-Weight loss
-Thrombosis
-Loss of appetite (anorexia)
-Paraneoplastic syndromes (caused by cancer cell secretions)

Question 41

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CANCER: study of cancer in human populations

Answer 41

Incidence: # of new cases over specific period
Prevalence: # of all cases in specific population over specific period
Mortality: # of deaths in specific population over specific period